Women’s Basketball Reveals 2012-13 Schedule

Oct 26, 2012

SAINT LEO, Fla. – Saint Leo University head women's basketball coach Niklki Jessee has announced her team's 2012-13 regular season schedule. In total, the Lions will compete in 26 games while hosting 14 home contests.

Once again lining up a challenging slate of games, Jessee has her team competing in three tournaments before the turn of the year, while hosting difficult in-region and out-of-region opponents. Additionally, the Lions will take on their normal 16-game conference schedule.

Saint Leo will begin its campaign at the University of Tampa Classic on November 9 and 10 where will take on Virginia Intermont (Nov.9, 1:00 p.m.) and Ave Maria (Nov.10, 6:00 p.m.).

The Lions will then open up home regular season action as they host the Saint Leo Invitational on November 16 and 17. The University of Puerto Rico-Bayamon (Nov.16, 5:30 p.m.) is first up before taking on Lindenwood (Nov.17, 7:30 p.m.) to close the team's second tournament.

Back-to-back home matches will close-out the month of November as region foe Palm Beach Atlantic (Nov. 21, 4:00 p.m.) and Warner University (Nov.26, 7:00 p.m.) enter the new Bowman Center court.

Home Sunshine State Conference action opens the month of December as Nova Southeastern (Dec.1, 2:00 p.m.) gives Saint Leo their first conference tilt of the year. Four non-conference dates and 34 days separate the Lions from their next conference game as they will open the 2013 year with a home showdown against Lynn (Jan. 5, 2:00 p.m.) . In between, however, Saint Leo will make trips to Palm Beach Atlantic (Dec. 10, 6:00 p.m.) and Valdosta State (Dec.19, 7:00 p.m.), before hosting a post-Christmas tournament as both Ursuline (Dec. 29, 4:00 p.m.) and Trevecca Nazerene (Dec.30, 4:00 p.m.) will entertain Saint Leo.

Following the Lynn contest, Saint Leo will continue their run of four straight home games as they play host to SSC rival Florida Southern (Jan. 9, 5:30 p.m.). The Green and Gold will then hit the road for two pivotal conference matches as they take on Barry (Jan.12, 2:00 p.m.) and Tampa (Jan.16, 5:30 p.m.) in a four day span.

Saint Leo will close the month of January alternating home and away conference games as they host Florida Tech (Jan.19, 2:00 p.m.) and Rollins (Jan.26, 2:00 p.m.), with a trip to St. Petersburg and Eckerd (Jan.23, 5:30 p.m.) in between.

The month of February sees the home-tested Lions take to the road for five of their final eight games, including two, back-to-back road trips. Saint Leo opens the month on the road at Nova Southeastern (Feb. 2, 2:00 p.m.) and Lynn (Feb.6, 6:30 p.m.), before returning home to the Bowman Center for a feisty Barry (Feb.9, 2:00 p.m.) squad.

A pair of mid-month conference tilts puts the Lions in Lakeland against Florida Southern (Feb.13, 5:30 p.m.), before heading across the state to battle Florida Tech (Feb.16, 2:00 p.m.).

Jessee's group will then close out the regular season with a home game against rival Tampa (Feb.20, 5:30 p.m.), an away contest against Rollins (Feb.23, 2:00 p.m.), and a home senior night showdown with Eckerd (Feb.27, 5:30 p.m.).

The Sunshine State Conference Tournament is scheduled from March 6-10 in Kissimmee, Fla.

For more on the women's basketball program, visit SaintLeoLions.com. Also, be sure to 'Follow' the Lions on Twitter and 'Like' the Lions on Facebook.